What Might Have Been
by Michelle18
Summary: AU Oneshot. The Evil 17 has joined with Dr. Gero to rule the world from the grave but is met with unexpected resistence from an unexpected source, himself. The 17 from the new timeline is a family man and isn't so easily lured by power. Destiny wins.
1. What Might Have Been

****

Decisions

Prologue

17 was lost in thought.

Could life be anymore perfect? His son was married and extremely successful. His daughter Sasoli was the apple of his eye and took after her mother in every way.

Speaking of her mother, did Ava have to be so damn . . . Sensitive wasn't the word . . . Touchy was a better description. One wrong word about her precious saiyan heritage and it was over. What would he want with Vegeta's twin sister anyway? Stubborn Saiyan.

Ok, maybe he went a tad bit over the line when he suggested she get a different hair cut but that was no reason to come at him with a knife. He liked his hair the way it was thank you very much.

__

You are me, I am you. We are one.

17 went still and his eyes turned red.

_Come to me, Number 17, we are one._

His mind filled with visions of . . . himself . . . before 18 had abandoned him to be with her monk . . . When they were just released. . .

_Number 17, we will make them pay for taking her away from you._

"They didn't take her away," 17 frowned, "She wanted to go."

_They brainwashed her and you know it. She would have never left you given the choice._

Clouds circled above him ominously and turned dark with malevolent energy.

17 couldn't move his body. He could feel his databanks rebooting against his will and an unseen presence going through his files, his memories.

"What's happening to me?"

17 felt an aura surround him and he felt power leak into him.

_This is just a taste of the power you will join me._

"What do you want?"

_To kill Son Goku._

"Who are you?"

__

I am you.

"Impossible."

__

Why are these memories encrypted?

17 struggled against the entity that claimed to be him. This thing was trying to rewrite his programs and he was barely able to hold it off.

__

What are you hiding?

The presence blew through all his passwords and barriers like they didn't exist. The only memories it couldn't touch were the ones of Ava and his kids since he used words he learned from his wife for passwords.

__

You will submit.

"The subject is resisting," Dr. Gero frowned his distaste.

"I thought there was going to be no problems," Dr. Myuu narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"There shouldn't have been," Gero turned to his accomplish, "Maybe we should go to the source."

They both turned to find Number Seventeen sitting on a rock concentrating. This was not the same Seventeen who was mated to Ava, this was the Number Seventeen of Future Trunks' time. This was the one who lived for destruction and death, the one who knew nothing of love but what being a brother had taught him and those memories were mostly erased or faded.

Gero huffed in satisfaction, this evil Seventeen had been quite a find, thanks to a talk with Cell. Who would have thought his creation would have been able to cross time? With the help of Dr. Myuu and the almost ridiculously flimsy rules of other world they had been able to find him. Now only if the damn machine could pull through.

"What is the problem Number Seventeen?"

"He has parts of his mind blocked and I am unable to gain access."

"Impossible, he should not be able to block you in anyway."

"Without complete access I cannot control him," Number Seventeen opened his ice blue eyes.

"Maybe we should deviate from our plan Gero," Dr. Myuu appeared.

"How so?"

"Obviously there is something that is making the android resist us but if we hold off our plans and concentrate solely on the droid . . ."

"Then everything will fall into place once he submits," Gero finished the thought.

"Precisely."

"Number Seventeen, plan b."

"But Dr. Gero one hasn't been accomplished-"

A swift backhand never reached the android's face.

Gero paled as he was reminded of the circumstances of his death.

Number Seventeen released the doctor's hand and calmly got to his feet.

"Plan b will commence."

Both doctors watched him walk toward the small opening into the living world.

_Why are you resisting?_

"Why shouldn't I?" 17 snarled, his eyes had long since lost their red glow.

He had finally regained his mobility and was extremely pissed. He hadn't felt that helpless since Cell and he didn't appreciate it. If he hadn't met Ava his entire database would have been infiltrated and possibly changed.

__

What are you hiding?

"Why should I tell you?"

__

Because I will find out soon enough.

17 narrowed his eyes and got into a fighting stance.

_You want to know who I am?_

17 rolled his eyes, hadn't he been asking?

_I am you or what you could have become in another lifetime. We ruled the world and no one was able to stop us._

"Oh, then why are you dead?" 17 asked sardonically.

_A miscalculation._

"Convenient."

_Join with me and we will rule the world. I -we- were supposed to be the ultimate fighting android but we were suppassed by Cell._

"Your point?"

_Join with me and not even Goku can defeat us._

The thought staggered him and he relaxed his posture. More powerful than Goku?

_Yes, we would be unstoppable and the world would be our playground._

17 was silent.

_You could offer it to your wife._

His head snapped up.

"How do you know about Ava?"

_I have my ways._

"How is it going?" Gero tapped Seventeen's shoulder.

"I need information about the saiyan Ava. Contact Frieza," Number Seventeen mumbled, "Now."

_She is a princess but she could be a queen._

17 stood with his head down, thoughts and feelings racing inside his head.

__

What have you offered her?

17 opened his mouth to answer and then shut it again. In truth, he had never given her anything other then himself.

_You could hand her the world on a silver platter._

"I've given her children. They're everything to her." 17 whispered softly as a feeling of inadequacy overwhelmed him. He didn't smile when he finally found the connection in his mind that allowed this alternate self to speak to him.

__

C-Children . . . I can have children . . .?

"Yes, you- I- can. 18 has a little girl named Maron," 17 lifted his eyes skyward and didn't disconnect the link.

_With who?_

"The bald monk, Krillin," 17 answered the almost wistful voice.

_Yes, I remember him. I killed him._

17 swallowed, in another life he had murdered his sister's husband.

_What are their names?_

"My daughter is Sasoli and her twin brother is Zarah," 17 closed his eyes and pictured them in his mind.

_Twins . . ._

17 didn't smile when the mental voice cracked with emotion but he wanted to.

"Where's Eighteen?"

_She left me. She didn't want to be with me anymore._

"Maybe you can fix it," 17 thought out loud, "Talk to King Yamma."

_Why would he help us?_

"Maybe if you allow yourself to be reprogrammed," 17 winced, "Not personality sub drives but . . .um. . . You know destroy all life form stuff."

_It's risky._

"But better than the alternative," Seventeen snorted. "Just tell him it's a radical reform."

_Why are you helping me?_

"Because I used to be where you are."

_Wait, you should make the offer to your wife. Let her make the choice._

"All right, that's fair."

17 entered the cave to find his wife squawled across their bedding.

"I'm not talking to you," she announced shortly and turned her back to him.

17 sighed and sat down next to his wife.

"Ava? Have you ever wanted to rule the world?"

Black eyes returned his gaze wearily, "Why?"

"Just answer my question."

"Once or twice," she shrugged and closed her eyes for sleep.

"Why haven't you?" His every sense was centered on his wife.

Ava groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Ava," 17 sat up and pulled the cover down, "Answer me."

"Why does it even matter," she glared at him sleepily but paused when she saw how serious he was. "17, what troubles you?"

All traces of sleep and anger left her eyes and her mate became her whole world. She lifted a hand to caress his cheek.

"17?"

"Answer my question?" 17 pleaded, "Please."

"What's wrong?" She crawled into his lap to be closer. It was a rare show of helplessness and she begged with her body language to let her help him.

"Ava!" 17 grabbed her shoulders and put her at arms length so she would look him in the eyes. "Answer the question!"

"Why should I conquer the world when I have everything I want?" Her eyes were wide with hurt and concern.

Her answer seemed to stagger him and his hold weakened though she made no move to break it. Something was really wrong with her mate and it was her duty to fix it.

"17?" Her entire being screamed for him to answer her.

"Ava," he was desperate though for what she didn't know. "You're a princess without a throne. I could give you one."

"What are you saying?" She demanded.

"I . . . found a way . . . If you asked me, I could make you the ruler of this planet," his eyes bore into her.

"The others would stop you."

"No, they wouldn't be able to touch me," 17 pulled her into his arms and grasped her tightly as if afraid she would try to escape. "You've told me before that on your planet, Vegeta would have become king and you would have been turned loose into the general population. You would have been nothing but another breeding female."

She started shoving at him.

"I know it's painful to talk about-"

"Then why bring it up!" She hit him and would have been free if he hadn't had such fast reflexes, "Let go of me!"

17 kept a firm hold on her wrist though he knew she wouldn't hesitate to break it to get free. They were both standing now.

"Listen to me, I could give you a thrown." His voice was cold but insistent, "A planet to rule in the memory of Planet Vegeta."

"You would give me up?" Tears burned in her midnight eyes but did not fall, "You would deny me and our children?"

"What are you talking about?" 17's grip tightened unconsciously and became painful.

She took a step toward him unaware of the pain.

"You would give me a saiyan mate?" Her voice was soft.

Hurt flashed in his ice blue eyes.

"Is that what you want?"

"It's what I dreamed of when I was young." Was her reply.

His eyes shuttered and he released her.

"I also dreamed that I would rule along side my brother and we would make the Saiyan Empire something that would never be forgotten."

Her words stopped him from leaving.

"I'm not a young saiyan anymore," only tremendous control kept her voice from shaking, "My dreams were ripped from me almost before I realized what they were. Now you come to me and offer to make another just like it?"

17 said nothing.

The tension was so thick and layered a weak hearted person would have died of stress.

"You don't know what you offer me," her eyes were locked to his, "By right, Vegeta would rule. In the Saiyan Empire we are not allowed to breed with different species."

"I'm sure Vegeta would change the rules-"

"No, he wouldn't," she cut him off, "He would refuse to rule to begin with and he would be right too. This is not our planet 17. Here, we are aliens. Extraterrestrials. Our mates, our loves, are the ones who really belong here, not us."

Her chest heaved with repressed emotion and conviction.

"He would refuse the offer and so do I."

17 took a step back, physically struck by her words.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want it!"

A single tear made it's way down her cheek and was furiously wiped away.

"If you want to rule the world, 17, then say the word and I'll help you conquer it. I will stand by you until the end."

"But you would not start the assault?" He asked her slowly.

"No."

The tension thickened.

"Why?"

"Because, 17, I used to dream of a saiyan male but that was before I met you."

17 blinked at the admission of love, again a rare thing.

Ava closed the distance between them and hugged her mate around the waist while resting her head on his chest.

"All I need is you."

His walls came crashing down and he severed the link in his mind to the other 17 in hell.

"I would have made you a queen," he hugged her back.

"17, as a queen I wouldn't have allowed you to run the world."

He could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Why not?"

"You would have run it into the ground."

"Number Seventeen, where do you think you are going?!" Dr. Gero demanded as the insolent android started to walk away from them.

"Your plan has failed," the android remarked softly, "He is in love and will not be turned."

"Love?" Dr. Myuu turned a contemptous eye toward Dr. Gero, "You programmed them to love?"

"No, that's impossible," Dr. Gero huffed, "Number Seventeen come back and try again. Just appeal to his ego and will to rule and he shall fall."

"No," Number Seventeen continued to walk away, "That's how you suckered me in this plot. I will not be used again."

"What are you planning to do?" Dr. Myuu demanded.

"I am going to find her."

Number Seventeen dodged a ki blast that almost took off his head.

"I said I never wanted to see you again!" His twin screamed launching a volley of attacks.

"Eighteen, wait!" Seventeen ducked and weaved, "Five minutes and if you don't like what I have to say I'll stand still and let you kill my soul."

Eighteen paused in her attack and studied her brother. He looked like shit and that was rare for him.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to be alone anymore."

Eighteen almost gasped at the sheer sadness in his voice.

"Eighteen, I've had a long talk with . . . Well, myself." A wry smile curled his lips as he sat down. "An alternate future created by Trunks when he went back in time."

"What does that have to do with me?" She sat down next to him, curious now.

"He told me some interesting things," Seventeen turned to her, "Did you know we could reproduce? Have children?"

Eighteen paled and shook her head.

"Me either," Seventeen was infinitly sad, "Apparently I have a little boy and girl in this alternate world, twins."

Tears filled her eyes.

"You have a little girl named Maron."

They fell then unchecked.

"She takes after you," his voice was soft with regret, "Blond hair and all."

"You better not be lying to me," her voice was rough with emotion.

"I would never lie," he blinked back his own tears, "Not about this."

He could do nothing but sit as his sister sobbed silently. She would not welcome his comfort or touch.

"What were their names?"

"Zarah and Sasoli," a lone tear made it's way down his cheek.

"King Yamma," Seventeen bowed before the King of the Dead.

"Android Seventeen," the red being glared down at him, "What are you doing here? I already sentenced you to a life of hell."

"I know but I have come to petition for the fate of Eighteen as well my own. We were programmed to distroy and we did not choose to become androids. However, do to the nature of our beings I have come to ask you to consider reprogramming us." Seventeen paused, "If not me then just my sister. I was behind most of the sins we commited not her."

King Yamma analyzed the android in front of him closely and saw little resemblance to the cocky young man that had first entered his office. Not many had the brass to reenter his office and ask for a reconsideration. The journey was long and ten times as difficult then it was to get to King Kai's along snake way.

"Why should I do this for you?" The King leaned back into his chair.

"I don't want to be alone anymore," he answer solemnly, "Eighteen and I agreed to go into the Soul cleaner peacefully if you do not consent."

"You realize that if you do that, you will no longer be you," King Yamma was shocked at the lengths the twins were willing to go through.

"Yes, but it's better then this."

"I see." King Yamma was silent when he turned to the microphone on his desk, "Turn on the soul cleaner to it's highest setting."

Number Seventeen's head dropped at his failure and he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to tell Eighteen."

"Why? She's already in the machine."

Seventeen's head shot up and he spun around, "WHAT?"

"She's already going through the system, that's what you wanted, wasn't it?" King Yamma raised a brow.

"Yes, but- I didn't want her to go alone!"

"What does it matter?" King Yamma watched the eternal youth carefully, "She won't remember a thing."

Seventeen shook with rage before deflating.

"It matters," he whispered brokenly, "It always matters."

King Yamma rested his arms on his desk thoughtfully.

"I might not even have to reprogram you."

"What?" Seventeen lifted dull eyes to met the King's.

"You and your sister will be given a trial run in heaven but if you so much as lay a toe out of line then you will go straight to hell. Deal?"

"Deal," Seventeen agreed immediately. "Oh wait."

"You questioning my authority?" The King asked ominously.

"No," Seventeen rushed to assure him, "I was just wondering if you know where a female saiyan went by the name of Ava?"

"Ava? Hmmm," King Yamma opened his records, "Prince Vegeta's twin sister right?"

"Yes," Seventeen nodded, _I guess._

"What do you want to know?"

"Where is she?"

"Her's is an interesting case," the King hummed thoughtfully, "She could have gone straight to heaven, she was locked up for most of her life, but she chose to be with her fellow saiyans."

_Fellow saiyans?_ Seventeen frowned, "Where are they?"

"A special section of hell," King Yamma, "Why?"

"Will you send me there? I need to speak with her." Seventeen asked humbly.

"Sure, why not?" Yamma shrugged, "Let her know she can leave at any time."

Yamma pushed a button and Seventeen fell through the trap door.

Disorientated, Seventeen picked himself of the ground.

Well, it was dark.

A scream filled the air before cutting off sharply.

Hmmm . . .

He made his way to the distant sound of fighting when suddenly three fighters came into view. A lone female saiyan was fighting off two huge males and coming out the winner by the looks of it.

"If you don't want your tail grabbed Radditz," the female remarked smugly, "Then you should be more careful in guarding it."

The female bowed gracefully and the bald saiyan behind her missed completely as he dove for her.

"Nappa," she rolled her eyes, "You try this every week."

Seventeen watched with a certain awe with the way she toyed with them while displaying her distinct techinique and elegance. The fighting style was unique in the extreme but somehow tugged on his memory backs, he'd seen something similar to this but where?

The female grinned as the two males literally panted at her to tired to make any comebacks.

"I've told you time and again," her expression became stern, "I will not consent to be your mate in this otherworld." Points at Nappa, "You were executed by my brother and you," points at Radditz, "were defeated by you third class brother. You are a failure to your first class ranking."

"How were you killed?"

The saiyans whirled around, taken completely off guard by Seventeen's pressence.

"What's this?" Nappa stepped forward and towered over Seventeen, "Did Yamma make a mistake?"

"That's strange he never made one before," Radditz poked the android's shoulder, "What grevious sin did you commit to come here?"

Seventeen gave each of them a scathing glance before he walked past them and up to the silent female.

"You didn't answer my question, Ava," he said her name softly.

Surprise made her jerk her face to his.

"How do you know my name?"

"I have my ways," he watched her every move. What was it about her that would have made him give up world domination in another world?

Her eyes narrowed.

The males came up and flanked her on both sides.

"You will address her as Princess Ava," Nappa glowered at the android and was ignored.

"I was killed by Lord Frieza himself." She replied haughtily, "Now answer my question. Why are you here?"

"I needed to speak with you," Seventeen told her earnestly, "That's all."

She seemed to study him curiously when the male saiyans stepped forward again.

"She doesn't speak to human riffraff." Nappa sneered.

"Fucking humans," Radditz went to shove him but was caught off guard when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"I don't like being touched," Seventeen remarked coldly and used his grip on Radditz to hurl him across the afterlife.

Nappa immediately stepped in front of his princess and was hauled backward by his armor.

"I don't need your protection," she grumbled and released his armor.

"If Vegeta were here-"

"Well, he's not," she interrupted and gave him a glare of death, "Not that I need him to dispose of this one."

Seventeen lifted a brow.

"When you say Vegeta, do you mean the guy with the flame hair-style?"

Hope sparked in her eyes.

"You've seen him?"

"I killed him."

Shock made her step back and filled her eyes with tears.

_Don't tell me she's going to cry,_ Seventeen thought with distaste though as soon as he finished the though he regretted it. The woman in front of him was devastated yes but she was redirecting her emotions to anger and to fuel her power.

"You killed my brother," her voice was deathly quiet, "I am going to kill you."

"Oh, is that so?" Seventeen was amused, she was really quite fascinating. With every word and move she made, he could see how his other self could fallen in love.

"Princess Ava, you mustn't," Nappa grabbed her arm, "The consequences if you lose. You cannot challenge him-"

"I can if it ends in death," she snarled.

"I will not allow this," he whispered furiously, "It could easily change into a lunafair and-"

"A lunafair?" Seventeen repeated curiously.

"Nothing you should concern yourself with," the female announced after tossing Nappa across the horizon. "You will no longer exist when this is over."

"Whatever, I challenge you to fight then," Seventeen loosened his shoulders and got into a more relaxed position, "to this lunafair yadda, yadda."

She shifted minutely in her fighting stance.

"PRINCESS AVA! YOU MUST NOT-"

Seventeen absently clotheslined Radditz and flung his arm backward. The unmoving saiyan disappeared into the blackness.

"You must have great strength," she observed, "though you don't look it."

"I am stronger then I look and you should talk."

"Enough, I avenge my brother now."

"This is impossible," Ava sat on the ground in shock. "I can't lose . . . How could I have lost . . ."

Seventeen stood over her smugly.

The entire fight was rather anticlimactic. Sure, she had surprised him a couple of times but fighting strength against strength instead of skill, the fight was rather onesided. All in all, though, she had impressed him. No matter how skillful she was she should not have been able to land a punch on him, she simply wasn't powerful enough, but she had. She was a dirty fighter, Seventeen made a face as he remembered the low blow, and nearly took his head off.

Seventeen grinned, it was fun . . . more fun then he had had in a long time.

Seventeen watched her curiously as she slowly got to her feet and faced him. One arm was pressed tightly against her chest while the other hung loosely beside her though both her hands were fisted.

He didn't move when she reached out her hand to touch his face. Hell, poor thing was probably deprived of goodlooking males in this part of hell. _I mean, look who she hangs out with._

Seventeen flinched at her first touch, noting with some comfusion that it was wet when he spotted the blood dripping from her other hand. She must have dug her nails into her palm . . . But why?

Undaunted, she traced a line down his cheek.

His hands shot out to her as a golden line shot from her body and was met by a green line from his and merged.

"What the hell was that?"

She frowned at him.

"What do you mean?"

"That light," Seventeen snatched his hand back from her shoulders, when had he grabbed her?

"The light was your soul becoming one with mine," she glared, "Now we're one."

"What?!" Seventeen gaped at her, "I just wanted to talk to you."

"Then you shouldn't have challenged me to a lunafair," she snapped smartly.

She shook her head at him.

"You didn't know what a lunafair is, did you?"

Seventeen shook his head feeling like a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

Her head went down and she started to vibrate, waves of energy rolled of her as she tried to hold it in.

"You IDIOT!" She exploded, "Why didn't you ask? Do you know what this MEANS?! We're STUCK together! FOREVER!"

She landed a solid punch on his chin and knocked him down. She climbed on top off him and started punching with all her might!

"STUPID, IDIOTIC, MORONIC ASSHOLE!"

Seventeen covered his face but too shocked to do much more. He was bound to this female for the rest of his afterlife. . . He had just wanted to talk to her and see what could have been. He was realistic, though, and had never expected to start a relationship. The only thing he had expected from this meeting was bittersweet memories of what could have been, now he was 'stuck' with her.

He was never going to be alone again.

He brightened with the thought and wrapped his arms around her making her scream with outrage.

He floated to his feet and started to walk.

"Where do you think you're taking me?!" She growled menacing and started clawing into his skin.

"Out of here for starters," he smiled despite the fact she was drawing blood, "From there, we'll see."

She paused in confusion, what kind of man doesn't flinch when you draw his blood?

"How can you be so strong?"

"I'm an android," he glanced at her when she went still, "Is there a problem?"

"But you bleed," she whispered as she looked at her blood covered hand, "You're not real?"

"Of course I am," Seventeen snorted, "I was just modified by a scientist that's all. I was born the natural way with my twin."

"You're a twin too?" Ava's interest peeked and she relaxed in his arms.

"Yes, I am. Her name is Eighteen. You can call me Seventeen."

"Seventeen," she rolled the name around in her mouth, "You have a ridiculous name."

"So do you," Seventeen glanced at her, "What are you, named after an avacado or something?"

Her mouth dropped open and she sputtered incoherently.

"If we could have kids, would you name them Zarah and Sasoli?" Seventeen asked her in all seriousness.

"Possibly," she blinked at him, "Can we have kids in death?"

"Well, not in hell," Seventeen shrugged, "I'm not sure about anywhere else, though, we might just have to get reincarnated or something."

"You're awfuly sure of yourself," she scoffed, "What makes you think I would be so inclined to rejoin with you in another life?"

"Because I found you in this one," Seventeen stopped walked and met her eyes, "I am not programmed to love."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Love? What's that?"

"A human expression of emotion," Seventeen was suddenly struck by the exotic beauty of her, "Maybe. . . just maybe we can learn together."

The End


	2. Disclaimer

Disclaimer: I do not own dragonballz in any way shape or form.

AN: Jeez, I knew I forgot something! Thanks for all of your support in this story. It was one of the more personal things I have ever written.


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